ONE of the UK's largest private health insurance companies has suspended referrals to all hospitals in the Belfast health trust area.
It has been reported that Bupa stopped sending its customers to Belfast hospitals six months ago due to a lack of medical indemnity insurance.
It means that those signed up, and who pay upwards of £300 a month, may be forced to travel outside the north for treatment.
Bupa has said it has suspended referrals because the "trust doesn't have the medical negligence insurance necessary to treat private patients at its hospitals".
The Belfast Telegraph reported that the private health company has said though that the suspension is "temporary" and is working with the Belfast trust to ensure the necessary medical insurance is put in place so it can return its full compliment of services to Northern Ireland.
Before Bupa took the decision to suspend referrals patients could receive undergo life-saving surgeries such as a cardiac bypass in Northern Ireland. Now patients may have to travel for such operations and for specialist cancer scans.
Belfast trust said it continues to treat patients who hold private health insurance with other companies.
